Want to combine your love of the outdoors with a rewarding career? Use landscape architecture school rankings to find a school that will help you achieve this dream. Landscape architecture is the outdoor equivalent of interior design. Architectural landscapers focus on making outdoor spaces functional as well as beautiful. They create places for us to live, work, and play. They combine art and design with science and the environment. Landscape architects work with other design professionals, such as architects and civil engineers, to design our outdoor spaces. Whether you are walking through a public or national park, or watching the Summer Olympics on television, you can be sure that an architectural landscaper has been involved in creating those environments.

In order to become a landscape architect, you will need a degree from an accredited school to become a licensed professional in the field. The three types of degrees you can obtain through an accredited landscape architect school are associate, bachelor, and master. You can look at landscape architecture school rankings to see which school offers what. An associate degree will allow graduates to work for private companies or governmental agencies. A bachelor degree is more advanced, and students will have to meet certain prerequisites to be accepted into the program. Many schools require internships with established landscape architects prior to graduation. The graduate with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture will have more job opportunities, as well as the option to work independently. To get accepted into a master’s program, you will be required to hold a bachelor’s degree, as well as demonstrate extensive mathematics and science experience. The master’s degree is quite advanced, and graduates with this degree will have access to the most job opportunities. In addition, they will have the ability to choose specialization within the industry. Once you’ve completed your desired degree, you will want to become licensed. This consists of taking the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE), developed by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB), which is the governing body of licensing guidelines. Landscape architecture school rankings may help you determine which school has the most graduates passing this exam.

While the job of the landscape architect involves being hands-on at the site, much of the job is spent in the office doing research, as well as creating plans and designs. Landscape architects attend meetings with other professionals who are involved in the project to assist with planning and preparation of cost estimates. At the site, the landscape architect ensures that the vision for the project can be incorporated into the space. Additionally, the architect makes sure the vision is being carried out properly. Landscape architecture rankings may help firms determine where they should recruit new hires, so this is something to keep in mind when you are considering which school to attend.

There are many fulfilling jobs to choose from with your landscape architect degree. Some choose to work on a variety of projects, while others specialize in a certain area of the industry, such as residential development or the development of corporate sites like shopping centers. Still, others work for governmental agencies and concentrate on projects like highway beautification or the improvement of parks and playgrounds. An increasing number of graduates from landscape architecture schools are becoming more involved in using eco-friendly methods to preserve the environment, regardless of the area they have chosen. Some landscape architecture school rankings may include an evaluation of school’s green programs, if you were interested in this area.

The career of landscape architecture is rewarding not only for the individual, but also for those who get to enjoy the benefits of the individual’s hard work. With the appropriate education from a top ranking accredited school in landscape architecture, you will be well on your way to a successful career.